Colombian FM sums up country's record as secretary of Ibero-American Summit

Colombian Foreign Minister Maria Angela Holguin on Friday delivered the results of Colombia's two-year administration to a meeting of foreign ministers during the 25th Ibero-American Summit of Heads of State and Government, being held in Colombia on Oct. 28-29.

"Today, two years after taking over the rotating secretariat, we feel proud to deliver tomorrow to our heads of state and government, as well as to our people, concrete results linked to the topics chosen as being of great relevance to the Ibero-American region: youth, entrepreneurship and education," said Holguin.

She said in its time as secretary of the group, Colombia focused on how to meet challenges linked to these three topics in the region.

One major accomplishment was the creation of an observatory to offer opportunities for young people in entrepreneurship and employment.

"On one side, we have the most educated youth ever seen in the history of our region, but on the other side, one in five young people is out of the educational system and the labor market. We also have two-thirds of our young university graduates who are the first generation in their families to make it to university," she said.

"We have doubled the university population in the region, but we also have to face the highest rate of university drop-outs in the world. Young people are entering university but are not finishing their studies. Many of their aspirations to enter the labor pool and find social mobility are being cut off," Holguin said.

On Saturday, the Ibero-American members will sign the Pact for Youth in an effort to commit the summit to making more efforts for its young people. The delegations will also appoint a new country to succeed Colombia. Endi